Title: Frontiers in Earth System Dynamics (nsf12547)
Date: 11/15/2013
Replaces: NSF 10-577
Frontiers in Earth System Dynamics
[1]Program Solicitation
NSF 12-547
Replaces Document(s):
NSF 10-577
NSF Logo
National Science Foundation
Directorate for Geosciences
Division of Earth Sciences
Division of Ocean Sciences
Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's
local time):
July 02, 2012
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
March 04, 2013
Full Proposals are by invitation only. (Invitations will be made by
NSF based on the review of Preliminary Proposals)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND REVISION NOTES
Revisions Include:
1. Change of deadlines (pre-proposals and full proposals)
2. Change of page length (pre-proposals and full proposals).
3. Change of some program directors.
4. Full proposals: The required "Management and Integration Plan," and
"Results of Prior Support," which were previously included in
"Supplementary Documents" have been moved into the Project Description
section. The number of pages for these two sections remains the same
as in the previous solicitation.
5. Minor wording changes have been made throughout.
6. Additions have been made to the FAQs.
7. Award conditions: changed to state that all FESD awards will be
standard or continuing awards. Cooperative agreements have been
removed as a funding mechanism.
8. Budget requests may not exceed $5M.
9. Changes have been made in the treatment of costs for research
platforms and facilities, such as ship time. The total FESD budget,
including platform and facility costs, must be included in the $5M
budget cap.
10. Minor wording changes have been made in the description of Type II
proposals.
11. Requirements for pre-proposal budgets have been modified.
SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
General Information
Program Title:
Frontiers in Earth System Dynamics
Synopsis of Program:
The Earth is often characterized as "dynamic" because its systems
are variable over space and time, and they can respond rapidly to
multiple perturbations. The goals of the Frontiers in Earth System
Dynamics (FESD) program are to: (1) foster an inter-disciplinary
and multi-scale understanding of the interplay among and within the
various sub-systems of the Earth, (2) catalyze research in areas
poised for a major advance, (3) improve data resolution and
modeling capabilities to more realistically simulate complex
processes and forecast disruptive or threshold events, and (4)
improve knowledge of the resilience of the Earth and its
subsystems.
Cognizant Program Officer(s):
Please note that the following information is current at the time of
publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of
contact.
* Chungu Lu, telephone: (703) 292-8524, email: [2]clu@nsf.gov
* Therese Moretto Jorgensen, Program Director, AGS, 775 S,
telephone: (703) 292-8518, email: [3]tjorgens@nsf.gov
* Robin Reichlin, Program Director, EAR, 785 N, telephone: (703)
292-4741, email: [4]rreichli@nsf.gov
* Simone Metz, Program Director, OCE, 725 N, telephone: (703)
292-4964, email: [5]smetz@nsf.gov
* Paul Cutler, Program Director, EAR, 785 N, telephone: (703)
292-4961, email: [6]pcutler@nsf.gov
* James Beard, Program Director, OCE, 725 N, telephone: (703)
292-7583, email: [7]jbeard@nsf.gov
Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):
* 47.050 --- Geosciences
Award Information
Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant
Estimated Number of Awards: 6 to 10 --NSF anticipates funding a
combined total of 6-10 Type I (Frontier Research projects) and Type II
(Geoscience Collaboratories or Synthesis Centers) proposals. Project
sizes for Type I and Type II proposals are expected to range from
approximately $3,000,000 to $5,000,000 for 3-5 years duration,
although smaller awards may be made in some circumstances. The scope
of FESD projects is expected to be well beyond that which can be
supported in GEO's core programs. There are no fixed constraints on
the number of Type I and Type II proposals that will be funded.
Anticipated Funding Amount: $28,000,000
A total of $28,000,000 for FY13 and 14, pending availability of Funds.
Eligibility Information
Organization Limit:
Proposals may only be submitted by the following:
* Universities and Colleges - Universities and two- and four-year
colleges (including community colleges) accredited in, and having
a campus located in, the US acting on behalf of their faculty
members. Such organizations also are referred to as academic
institutions.
* Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums,
observatories, research labs, professional societies and similar
organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research
activities.
PI Limit:
None Specified
Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:
None Specified
Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI: 2
An individual may serve as Director (project, center or
collaboratory director) on only one FESD proposal (either Type I or
Type II), but may be involved in a second proposal in another
capacity. No individual may be involved in more than two FESD
proposals (either Type I or Type II). The
project/center/collaboratory director role is defined in the
Program Description section of the FESD solicitation in the
description of Type I and Type II proposals.
Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
* Letters of Intent: Not Applicable
* Preliminary Proposals: Submission of Preliminary Proposals is
required. Please see the full text of this solicitation for
further information.
* Full Proposals:
+ Full Proposals submitted via FastLane: NSF Proposal and Award
Policies and Procedures Guide, Part I: Grant Proposal Guide
(GPG) Guidelines apply. The complete text of the GPG is
available electronically on the NSF website at:
[8]http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg.
+ Full Proposals submitted via Grants.gov: NSF Grants.gov
Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission
of NSF Applications via Grants.gov Guidelines apply (Note:
The NSF Grants.gov Application Guide is available on the
Grants.gov website and on the NSF website at:
[9]http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grant
sgovguide)
B. Budgetary Information
* Cost Sharing Requirements: Inclusion of voluntary committed cost
sharing is prohibited.
* Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Not Applicable
* Other Budgetary Limitations: Not Applicable
C. Due Dates
* Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p.m.
proposer's local time):
July 02, 2012
* Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
March 04, 2013
Full Proposals are by invitation only. (Invitations will be made by
NSF based on the review of Preliminary Proposals)
Proposal Review Information Criteria
Merit Review Criteria: National Science Board approved criteria.
Additional merit review considerations apply. Please see the full text
of this solicitation for further information.
Award Administration Information
Award Conditions: Standard NSF award conditions apply.
Reporting Requirements: Standard NSF reporting requirements apply.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
[10]Summary of Program Requirements
I. [11]Introduction
II. [12]Program Description
III. [13]Award Information
IV. [14]Eligibility Information
V. [15]Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
A. [16]Proposal Preparation Instructions
B. [17]Budgetary Information
C. [18]Due Dates
D. [19]FastLane/Grants.gov Requirements
VI. [20]NSF Proposal Processing and Review Procedures
A. [21]Merit Review Principles and Criteria
B. [22]Review and Selection Process
VII. [23]Award Administration Information
A. [24]Notification of the Award
B. [25]Award Conditions
C. [26]Reporting Requirements
VIII. [27]Agency Contacts
IX. [28]Other Information
X. [29]Appendix
I. INTRODUCTION
Enormous strides have been made in recent decades in understanding the
dynamics of individual components of the Earth system (e.g. space
weather, mantle geodynamics, marine population dynamics). Major
advances in instrumentation, experimental facilities and observing
networks are providing unprecedented volumes of data on physical,
chemical, geological, and biological processes operating within the
Earth system, and are transforming our view of the dynamics of
inaccessible realms from geospace to the deep ocean to the Earth's
core. These advances have led to the development of more realistic,
3-D, time-dependent models of complex Earth system components and
better forecasting of disruptive events and their potential impact.
Despite these remarkable advances, we lack a comprehensive knowledge
of how the Earth and surrounding geospace environment operates as a
system. The Earth system, as defined for this solicitation, includes
the solid Earth (core, mantle and crust), it's terrestrial surface,
oceans, atmosphere, and geospace (upper regions of the atmosphere,
ionosphere, magnetosphere, and solar atmosphere), and the physical,
chemical, geological, and biological processes that drive the system.
Major challenges for the near future include: 1) developing an
integrated and multi-scale understanding of diverse Earth processes
that couple across spatial and temporal scales; 2) improving data
resolution and modeling capabilities to develop a better predictive
understanding of how rapidly these systems change; and 3) determining
how resilient these systems are to human intervention.
Many important scientific questions in the earth system lie at the
intersection of the traditional disciplines within the earth, ocean,
atmospheric, geospace and ecological sciences supported by the
Geoscience Directorate. Mechanisms are needed to facilitate
collaborative research groups drawn from these different disciplines,
as well as to train the next generation of geoscientists to work
together to address key problems in Earth-system dynamics. Progress in
many frontier research areas in Earth system science requires
assembling teams of investigators to work on large, complex systems
that are beyond the scope of projects typically supported by the
Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) core research programs.
Understanding and predicting the behavior of the complex and evolving
Earth system is identified in the recently published GEOVision report
(2009) as one of major challenges facing the geosciences community.
The Frontiers in Earth System Dynamics (FESD) program has been
developed to address this challenge.
II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
FESD will support fundamental research into Earth system dynamics,
focusing on scientific questions at the frontiers of the geosciences.
FESD is a program involving all Divisions in the Directorate of
Geosciences (GEO): Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS); Earth
Sciences (EAR); and Ocean Sciences (OCE), and their component science
programs. It will complement and strengthen individual,
investigator-driven science funded through GEO's core research
programs and the ongoing Climate Research Investment portfolio (CRI),
capitalizing, where appropriate, on major facility investments GEO is
already making (e.g. Ocean Observing Initiative (OOI), EarthScope,
NSF/NCAR GV aircraft).
The focus of FESD will be to explore the coupling among different
aspects of the Earth's component systems over a range of temporal and
spatial scales. FESD projects must ultimately advance our
understanding of first-order questions at the frontiers of the
geosciences. Domains for research can involve the Earth's core and
mantle, the terrestrial, marine, atmospheric, and geospace systems and
the linkages among these various parts of the planet as well as
connections to solar processes. Possible themes may include, but are
not limited to, self-organization within and between components of the
Earth system; response to and recovery from major perturbations; rates
and mechanisms of dynamic processes; improving resolution of
measurements; long-term changes in the Earth system dynamics. Some
examples of potential science themes that would be appropriate for
FESD are listed in the attached Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
These are not intended to be exclusive, but merely representative of
the scope of projects that would be appropriate for FESD.
Projects are expected to involve collaborations among investigators
from different Geoscience disciplinary specialties. Inclusion of
collaboration with other science fields is also welcome. FESD also
strongly encourages the involvement of early-career investigators.
FESD will support two types of awards:
(a) Type I: Projects that bring together interdisciplinary teams of
researchers to address a specific frontier research problem or grand
challenge in the geosciences. These proposals may include
investigators at all career levels, and as with most NSF proposals,
may include student and post-doctoral support and training. Type I
proposals should identify a project director who will serve as PI, and
will be responsible for coordination and integration of all aspects of
the project. (see FAQs for additional information about the difference
between Type I and Type II projects).
(b) Type II: Research Synthesis Centers or Geoscience Collaboratories
that promote interdisciplinary investigation of frontier research
questions in the academic scientific community, build and sustain
collaborative and interdisciplinary connections among investigators,
integrate research results from existing data and models, and attract
students and early-career researchers to these frontier research
areas. Synthesis or Collaboratory activities should be aimed at
creating opportunities at the community level that reach beyond the
scope of the proposing team and include development of new modes of
collaboration and training. Type II proposals should include
mechanisms for community input and oversight of the activity within
the management plan. Type II projects should identify a center or
collaboratory director who will serve as PI, and will be responsible
for management, coordination and integration of all aspects of the
center or collaboratory. (see FAQs for additional information about
the difference between Type I and Type II projects).
All FESD projects will be expected meet NSF's broader impacts review
criteria by fostering integration of research and education,
broadening participation of underrepresented groups, enhancing
infrastructure for research and education and/or disseminating
scientific results to the broader scientific community and to the
general public. The activities of FESD-funded synthesis centers or
collaboratories will be specifically designed to attract students and
early career researchers. Successful projects will include creative,
integrative and effective broader impact activities developed within
the context of the mission, goals, and resources of the organizations
involved. Partnerships with institutions serving students
under-represented in the Geosciences are especially encouraged. The
broader impacts activities must be an integral part of the proposed
research and this should be reflected in the expertise of
collaborators, the proposal budget and budget justification.
III. AWARD INFORMATION
NSF anticipates funding a combined total of 6-10 Type I (Frontier
Research projects) and Type II (Geoscience Collaboratories or
Synthesis Centers) proposals. Project sizes for Type I and Type II
proposals are expected to range from approximately $3,000,000 to
$5,000,000 for 3-5 years duration, although smaller awards may be made
in some circumstances. The scope of FESD projects is expected to be
well beyond that which can be supported in GEO's core programs.
IV. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
Organization Limit:
Proposals may only be submitted by the following:
* Universities and Colleges - Universities and two- and four-year
colleges (including community colleges) accredited in, and having
a campus located in, the US acting on behalf of their faculty
members. Such organizations also are referred to as academic
institutions.
* Non-profit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums,
observatories, research labs, professional societies and similar
organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research
activities.
PI Limit:
None Specified
Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:
None Specified
Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or Co-PI: 2
An individual may serve as Director (project, center or
collaboratory director) on only one FESD proposal (either Type I or
Type II), but may be involved in a second proposal in another
capacity. No individual may be involved in more than two FESD
proposals (either Type I or Type II). The
project/center/collaboratory director role is defined in the
Program Description section of the FESD solicitation in the
description of Type I and Type II proposals.
V. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
Preliminary Proposals (required): Preliminary proposals are required
and must be submitted via the NSF FastLane system, even if full
proposals will be submitted via Grants.gov.
Preliminary Proposals (required): Deadline July 2, 2012
Preliminary proposals will be reviewed by NSF staff and selected
external reviewers to determine the merit and suitability of the
proposed project for the FESD competition. A subset of applicants will
be invited to submit full proposals. Invitations to submit full
proposals will be sent by email no later than December 28, 2012.
Preliminary proposals should be submitted by a single institution,
with a PI who will be the project lead (Type I) or center director
(Type II). If multiple institutions are involved, this information
should be included in the lead institution's submission.
The preliminary proposal must include the following:
1. NSF Cover page indicating Type 1 or Type 2 proposals. Check the
box labeled "If this is a preliminary proposal".
2. Title: The title for the FESD project must begin with "FESD
Preliminary Proposal, Type I" or "FESD Preliminary Proposal, Type
II: "
3. Project Summary may be no more than 1 page in length. The project
summary should include a brief summary of the collaborating
institutions and personnel. It should clearly summarize the major
features of the project and explicitly address intellectual merit
and broader impacts.
4. Project Description-7 pages total (a maximum of 5 pages to
describe the project, plus 2 pages for a coordination plan). The 5
page description should lay out the project objectives, their
relationship to the FESD program goals, and the work plan to
accomplish the objectives. The project description should
explicitly include a brief description of 1) a statement about why
the proposed research is poised for a major advance, 2) why it
requires a team-based interdisciplinary approach, and 3) why it is
potentially transformative. The project description should also
outline the creative, integrative and effective broader impact
activities developed within the context of the mission, goals, and
resources of the organizations involved. The 2 page coordination
plan should include a list of the full set of collaborators and
their role in the project, as well as a description of the
management plan that addresses how the project and people will be
coordinated.
5. NSF biosketches of proposed PI, Co-PIs and collaborators from all
institutions
6. A cumulative budget should be included in the official budget
section of the proposal (annual budgets are not necessary). Any
amounts going to collaborating institutions should be totaled and
indicated under subcontracts. Also include an additional page in
the budget justification to show a breakdown of the totals going
to each institution listed in the subcontracts using the same
categories used for NSF budgets. This page should be a single
spreadsheet showing the Total budget by major category and
institution. A sample template for this spreadsheet is available
at [30]http://www.nsf.gov/geo/fesd.
7. Electronic Documents: The proposers must send the following
document immediately after submission of their pre-proposal. This
document must be in Excel, CSV format, e-mailed manually to
fesd@nsf.gov after proposal submission, with subject heading
referring to the 7-digit proposal number assigned by NSF. The
description of content of this document follows:
* "List of Personnel, Collaborators and Affiliates": After receipt
of the proposal number from FastLane, send an e-mail to
fesd@nsf.gov. The subject heading of the e-mail should note the
proposal number and the lead institution. Attach the document
described below, prepared on a template that is available at
[31]http://www.nsf.gov/geo/fesd. NSF personnel will use automated
data handling of this document. To facilitate this, the file
should be in the CSV "flat text" format, with unformatted data
entry under the column headings (Proposal Number, PI or SP
Last_Name, etc.) in the template. Carriage returns, splitting
items over multiple cells, extra spaces, etc., will interfere with
automated handling. The document is an Excel spreadsheet
containing two lists: one (columns C-E) lists the last names,
first names and institutional affiliations of all PIs, Co-PIs, and
other senior personnel; the second (columns F-H) lists the full
names and institutional affiliations of all people having
conflicts of interest with any PIs, Co-PIs, and other senior
personnel. This list will be used by NSF to check for conflicts of
interest in assembling the review community. The file name should
be the full seven digit NSF proposal number; not the temporary
proposal number used during proposal preparation) followed by the
three characters "coi" (for example, for a proposal number
1212345, this file name will be 1212345coi.csv where the extension
csv will be automatically added by Excel when saving the file
using the CSV format). The 7-digit proposal number should appear
in every row of the file, in column B, as indicated by the sample
that is available at [32]http://www.nsf.gov/geo/fesd. Each project
participant in columns C-E should be listed (repeatedly) in all
rows that name his/her conflicted individuals in columns F-H, as
in the sample.
Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: Proposers may opt to submit
proposals in response to this Program Solicitation via Grants.gov or
via the NSF FastLane system.
* Full proposals submitted via FastLane: Proposals submitted in
response to this program solicitation should be prepared and
submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in
the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG). The complete text of the GPG
is available electronically on the NSF website at:
[33]http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg.
Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications
Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from
[34]nsfpubs@nsf.gov. Proposers are reminded to identify this
program solicitation number in the program solicitation block on
the NSF Cover Sheet For Proposal to the National Science
Foundation. Compliance with this requirement is critical to
determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure
to submit this information may delay processing.
* Full proposals submitted via Grants.gov: Proposals submitted in
response to this program solicitation via Grants.gov should be
prepared and submitted in accordance with the NSF Grants.gov
Application Guide: A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of
NSF Applications via Grants.gov. The complete text of the NSF
Grants.gov Application Guide is available on the Grants.gov
website and on the NSF website at:
([35]http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=grantsgo
vguide). To obtain copies of the Application Guide and Application
Forms Package, click on the Apply tab on the Grants.gov site, then
click on the Apply Step 1: Download a Grant Application Package
and Application Instructions link and enter the funding
opportunity number, (the program solicitation number without the
NSF prefix) and press the Download Package button. Paper copies of
the Grants.gov Application Guide also may be obtained from the NSF
Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail
from [36]nsfpubs@nsf.gov.
FESD full proposals may be submitted by invitation only. PIs will be
notified by email no later than December 28, 2012 if they are invited
to submit a full proposal. Any deviations from the research team cited
in the preliminary proposal, deviations from the scope of the
preliminary proposal, or deviations from the preliminary proposal
budget by more than 10%, must be approved by NSF prior to full
proposal submission.
All FESD proposals must be submitted by a single institution (not as
separately submitted "collaborative proposals"), with the lead PI as
the project (Type I) or center (Type II) director. When multiple
institutions are involved (which is expected to be common), budgets
should be included for subcontracts to secondary institutions and
collaborating personnel. FESD projects and centers are expected to
have strong management and integration plans that clearly articulate
how the group activity will be coordinated and function.
(A) Cover page - The title of the proposed project should begin with
the string "FESD Type I:..." or "FESD Type II:..."
(B) Project Summary- The first text of the Project Summary must be the
NSF-generated PRE-PROPOSAL NUMBER (to be placed in the overview
section text box). The Project Summary may be no more than 1 page in
length. It should clearly summarize the major features of the project
and explicitly address intellectual merits and broader impacts in the
text boxes provided.
(C) Project Description, comprised of three sections with specific
length conditions:
1) Proposed Research: 20 pages maximum (see detailed description
below)
2) Management and Integration plan: 2 pages for Type I proposals
and 3 pages for Type II proposals
(these pages are in addition to the 20 pages for proposed research,
details are provided below)
3) Results of prior support: 1 page per team member, as described
below
(these pages are in addition to the 20 pages for proposed research,
details provided below)
(i) Proposed Research. (Narrative, 20 pages)
* A description of the proposed research and how it fits into the
Earth System Dynamics theme.
* An explanation of the scientific context and timeliness of the
proposed project.
* A complete list of all personnel and institutions involved in the
project, and explicit justification for all personnel.
* A justification for why a multidisciplinary team approach is
necessary to achieve the project goals, and how the proposed team
fulfills this requirement.
* A work plan and time line to achieve the proposed scientific
objectives.
* Plans for disseminating the results, including the sharing of
data, models, infrastructure and other tools developed as part of
the proposed research.
* Plans for student mentoring, outreach, diversity and other broader
impacts.
ii) Statement of eligibility for FESD. The proposal must include an
explicit eligibility statement of up to one page length within the
20-page project description (entitled "Eligibility Statement for
FESD"), stating why the proposed research (a) is poised for a major
advance and is potentially transformative; (b) requires a
multi-disciplinary team approach, and how the proposed team fulfills
this requirement; (c) addresses coupling of dynamic processes across
temporal and/or spatial scales; (d) goes beyond existing approaches
that can be addressed within the core programs of the Geosciences
Directorate; (e) is 'high-risk, high-return" research and that clearly
describes both the opportunities and challenges; and (f) provides
creative, integrative and effective broader impact activities
developed within the context of the mission, goals, and resources of
the organizations involved. Reviewers will be asked to evaluate the
eligibility statement as an additional review criterion.
(iii) Management and Integration Plan (2 or 3 pages depending on
proposal type). Both Type I and Type II proposals must have a detailed
management and integration plan. For Type I proposals, this plan can
be up to two pages in length. Type II proposals can be up to a maximum
of 3 pages in length. The management and integration plan should
describe how the group effort will be coordinated, how the
disciplinary components will be integrated, how data, models,
infrastructure developments and ideas will be disseminated and shared
with the community. A clear time line of expected outcomes should be
included, as well as plans for the integration of research and
education. Type II proposals should also include information about the
management of community outreach and training activities, as well as
assessment and oversight of educational activities.
a) Modes of Collaboration and Training. The following components are
optional (within the Management and Integration Plan) and can be
included if appropriate:
* A description of new modes of collaboration
* A description of new modes of training graduate students,
postdoctoral researchers, or undergraduates.
* A description of planned workshops and a list of types of
participants that will be involved.
iv) Results of Prior Support. A maximum of one page per team member
(PI, coPI, post doc, collaborator) should be included in the
supplementary documents. Any researcher who has received prior support
from any NSF grant must include results of prior support. If a
collaborator has not had prior support, an explicit statement should
be included to that effect in this section.
Please note that per guidance in the GPG, the Project Description must
contain, as a separate section within the narrative, a discussion of
the broader impacts of the proposed activities. You can decide where
to include this section within the project description.
(D) References. Publications in the references section that include
any of the team collaborators should have an asterisk as the first
character of the reference.
(E) Biographical sketches. For all key personnel, please provide a
brief biographical sketch. Do not exceed two pages per person for the
sketch. Up to five publications most closely related to the proposal
and up to five other significant publications may be included,
including those accepted for publication. Biographical Sketches must
conform to the guidelines described in the GPG.
(F) A full description of the total level of current and pending
support from all sources for the key personnel. It is important to
identify the number of salary-months covered by each source and
whether these are summer, academic or calendar months.
(G) A description of the facilities (including laboratories, meeting
or office space, and computational facilities) that will be made
available to the project.
(H) Supplementary Documents
i) Budgets for Research Platforms and Facilities: The cost of GEO
facilities utilized by FESD proposals will be handled in the same
manner as proposals submitted to GEO core programs. Projects that will
be utilizing NSF research platforms (e.g. ships, airplanes, etc) or
other shared use facilities (e.g. field instrumentation, analytical or
experimental facilities) are responsible for filing a copy of their
Request for Facility Support as a supplementary document in their
proposal. Any costs that will be associated with such facilities
should be clearly documented, and PIs should coordinate their requests
with the appropriate facility to ensure that access is available to
the facility and fits within the time line of the proposed research.
Costs for research platforms and facilities that are not covered by
the facility must be included in the budget cap of $5M. Please contact
a cognizant NSF program director for information about which facility
costs must be included in your proposal. For projects that will be
utilizing NSF computational facilities, a copy of the allocation
request that would be submitted to the facility in question should be
provided as a supplementary document.
ii) Postdoctoral Research Mentoring Plan: Proposals that request
funding for postdoctoral researchers must include a one-page mentoring
plan in accordance with guidance in the GPG.
iii) A Data Management Plan, in accordance with guidance in the GPG.
I. Single copy documents: Full proposals that do not provide the
following information will be returned without review.
(a) Project Personnel (text-searchable PDF, in FastLane, under
Additional Single Copy Documents). List all Senior Personnel in the
project. For each person, provide the last name, first name, and
institution/organization. In the main body of the proposal, a
corresponding biographical sketch should be provided for all
individuals included on this list, as instructed in Section II.C.2.f
of the Grant Proposal Guide.
(b) Collaborators/Individuals with Conflicts of Interest
(text-searchable PDF, in FastLane, under Additional Single Copy
Documents). Provide a list, in an alphabetized table, of the full
names and institutional affiliations of all persons with potential
conflicts of interest as specified in NSF's Grant Proposal Guide. For
each PI, Co-PI, collaborator and other Senior Personnel, include all
co-authors/editors and collaborators (within the past 48 months), all
graduate advisors and advisees, and any other individuals or
institutions with which the investigator has financial ties (please
specify type). In addition, list all subawardees who would receive
funds through the FESD award.
J. Additional Required documents
* "List of Personnel, Collaborators and Affiliates": After receipt of
the proposal number from FastLane, send an e-mail to fesd@nsf.gov. The
subject heading of the e-mail should note the proposal number and the
lead institution. Attach the document described below, prepared on a
template that will be available at [37]http://www.nsf.gov/geo/fesd/
NSF personnel will use automated data handling of this document. To
facilitate this, the file should be in the CSV "flat text" format,
with unformatted data entry under the column headings (Proposal
Number, PI or SP Last_Name, etc.) in the template. Carriage returns,
splitting items over multiple cells, extra spaces, etc., will
interfere with automated handling. The document is an Excel
spreadsheet containing two lists: one (columns C-E) lists the last
names, first names and institutional affiliations of all PIs, Co-PIs,
and other senior personnel; the second (columns F-H) lists the full
names and institutional affiliations of all people having conflicts of
interest with any PIs, Co-PIs, and other senior personnel. This list
will be used by NSF to check for conflicts of interest in assembling
the review community. The file name should be the seven-digit proposal
number --not the temporary proposal number used during proposal
preparation) followed by the three characters "coi" (for example, for
a proposal number 1212345, this file name will be 1212345coi.csv where
the extension csv will be automatically added by Excel when saving the
file using the CSV format). The 7-digit proposal number should appear
in every row of the file, in column B, as indicated by the sample that
will be available at [38]http://www.nsf.gov/geo/fesd. Each project
participant in columns C-E should be listed (repeatedly) in all rows
that name his/her conflicted individuals in columns F-H, as in the
sample.
(There is redundancy between the Additional Single Copy Documents,
which become part of the FastLane proposal file, and Electronic
Document (a), which is used for automated data handling. At present,
it is not technically possible for one document to perform both
functions.)
B. Budgetary Information
Cost Sharing: Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is
prohibited
Budget Preparation Instructions:
Research Platforms and Facilities: Projects that will be utilizing NSF
research platforms (e.g. ships, airplanes, etc) or other shared use
facilities (e.g. field instrumentation, analytical or experimental
facilities) are responsible for filing a copy of their Request for
Facility Support as a supplementary document in their proposal. Any
costs that will be associated with such facilities should be clearly
documented, and PIs should coordinate their requests with the
appropriate facility to ensure that access is available to the
facility and fits within the time line of the proposed research. Costs
for Research platforms and facilities that are not covered by the
facility must be included in the budget cap of $5M. Please contact a
cognizant NSF program director for information about which facility
costs must be included in your proposal.
C. Due Dates
* Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required) (due by 5 p.m.
proposer's local time):
July 02, 2012
* Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
March 04, 2013
Full Proposals are by invitation only. (Invitations will be made by
NSF based on the review of Preliminary Proposals)
D. FastLane/Grants.gov Requirements
* For Proposals Submitted Via FastLane:
Detailed technical instructions regarding the technical aspects of
preparation and submission via FastLane are available at:
[39]https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/newstan.htm. For FastLane user
support, call the FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail
[40]fastlane@nsf.gov. The FastLane Help Desk answers general
technical questions related to the use of the FastLane system.
Specific questions related to this program solicitation should be
referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section
VIII of this funding opportunity.
Submission of Electronically Signed Cover Sheets. The Authorized
Organizational Representative (AOR) must electronically sign the
proposal Cover Sheet to submit the required proposal
certifications (see Chapter II, Section C of the Grant Proposal
Guide for a listing of the certifications). The AOR must provide
the required electronic certifications within five working days
following the electronic submission of the proposal. Further
instructions regarding this process are available on the FastLane
Website at: [41]https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/fastlane.jsp.
* For Proposals Submitted Via Grants.gov:
Before using Grants.gov for the first time, each organization must
register to create an institutional profile. Once registered, the
applicant's organization can then apply for any federal grant on
the Grants.gov website. Comprehensive information about using
Grants.gov is available on the Grants.gov Applicant Resources
webpage: [42]http://www07.grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.jsp.
In addition, the NSF Grants.gov Application Guide provides
additional technical guidance regarding preparation of proposals
via Grants.gov. For Grants.gov user support, contact the
Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 or by email:
[43]support@grants.gov. The Grants.gov Contact Center answers
general technical questions related to the use of Grants.gov.
Specific questions related to this program solicitation should be
referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section
VIII of this solicitation.
Submitting the Proposal: Once all documents have been completed,
the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must submit the
application to Grants.gov and verify the desired funding
opportunity and agency to which the application is submitted. The
AOR must then sign and submit the application to Grants.gov. The
completed application will be transferred to the NSF FastLane
system for further processing.
VI. NSF PROPOSAL PROCESSING AND REVIEW PROCEDURES
Proposals received by NSF are assigned to the appropriate NSF program
for acknowledgement and, if they meet NSF requirements, for review.
All proposals are carefully reviewed by a scientist, engineer, or
educator serving as an NSF Program Officer, and usually by three to
ten other persons outside NSF either as ad hoc reviewers, panelists,
or both, who are experts in the particular fields represented by the
proposal. These reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged
with oversight of the review process. Proposers are invited to suggest
names of persons they believe are especially well qualified to review
the proposal and/or persons they would prefer not review the proposal.
These suggestions may serve as one source in the reviewer selection
process at the Program Officer's discretion. Submission of such names,
however, is optional. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no
conflicts of interest with the proposal. In addition, Program Officers
may obtain comments from site visits before recommending final action
on proposals. Senior NSF staff further review recommendations for
awards. A flowchart that depicts the entire NSF proposal and award
process (and associated timeline) is included in the GPG as
[44]Exhibit III-1.
A comprehensive description of the Foundation's merit review process
is available on the NSF website at:
[45]http://nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/merit_review/.
Proposers should also be aware of core strategies that are essential
to the fulfillment of NSF's mission, as articulated in [46]Empowering
the Nation Through Discovery and Innovation: NSF Strategic Plan for
Fiscal Years (FY) 2011-2016. These strategies are integrated in the
program planning and implementation process, of which proposal review
is one part. NSF's mission is particularly well-implemented through
the integration of research and education and broadening participation
in NSF programs, projects, and activities.
One of the core strategies in support of NSF's mission is to foster
integration of research and education through the programs, projects
and activities it supports at academic and research institutions.
These institutions provide abundant opportunities where individuals
may concurrently assume responsibilities as researchers, educators,
and students, and where all can engage in joint efforts that infuse
education with the excitement of discovery and enrich research through
the variety of learning perspectives.
Another core strategy in support of NSF's mission is broadening
opportunities and expanding participation of groups, institutions, and
geographic regions that are underrepresented in STEM disciplines,
which is essential to the health and vitality of science and
engineering. NSF is committed to this principle of diversity and deems
it central to the programs, projects, and activities it considers and
supports.
A. Merit Review Principles and Criteria
The National Science Foundation strives to invest in a robust and
diverse portfolio of projects that creates new knowledge and enables
breakthroughs in understanding across all areas of science and
engineering research and education. To identify which projects to
support, NSF relies on a merit review process that incorporates
consideration of both the technical aspects of a proposed project and
its potential to contribute more broadly to advancing NSF's mission
"to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health,
prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense; and for other
purposes." NSF makes every effort to conduct a fair, competitive,
transparent merit review process for the selection of projects.
1. Merit Review Principles
These principles are to be given due diligence by PIs and
organizations when preparing proposals and managing projects, by
reviewers when reading and evaluating proposals, and by NSF program
staff when determining whether or not to recommend proposals for
funding and while overseeing awards. Given that NSF is the primary
federal agency charged with nurturing and supporting excellence in
basic research and education, the following three principles apply:
* All NSF projects should be of the highest quality and have the
potential to advance, if not transform, the frontiers of
knowledge.
* NSF projects, in the aggregate, should contribute more broadly to
achieving societal goals. These "Broader Impacts" may be
accomplished through the research itself, through activities that
are directly related to specific research projects, or through
activities that are supported by, but are complementary to, the
project. The project activities may be based on previously
established and/or innovative methods and approaches, but in
either case must be well justified.
* Meaningful assessment and evaluation of NSF funded projects should
be based on appropriate metrics, keeping in mind the likely
correlation between the effect of broader impacts and the
resources provided to implement projects. If the size of the
activity is limited, evaluation of that activity in isolation is
not likely to be meaningful. Thus, assessing the effectiveness of
these activities may best be done at a higher, more aggregated,
level than the individual project.
With respect to the third principle, even if assessment of Broader
Impacts outcomes for particular projects is done at an aggregated
level, PIs are expected to be accountable for carrying out the
activities described in the funded project. Thus, individual projects
should include clearly stated goals, specific descriptions of the
activities that the PI intends to do, and a plan in place to document
the outputs of those activities.
These three merit review principles provide the basis for the merit
review criteria, as well as a context within which the users of the
criteria can better understand their intent.
2. Merit Review Criteria
All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two National
Science Board approved merit review criteria. In some instances,
however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required to highlight
the specific objectives of certain programs and activities.
The two merit review criteria are listed below. Both criteria are to
be given full consideration during the review and decision-making
processes; each criterion is necessary but neither, by itself, is
sufficient. Therefore, proposers must fully address both criteria.
([47]GPG Chapter II.C.2.d.i. contains additional information for use
by proposers in development of the Project Description section of the
proposal.) Reviewers are strongly encouraged to review the criteria,
including [48]GPG Chapter II.C.2.d.i., prior to the review of a
proposal.
When evaluating NSF proposals, reviewers will be asked to consider
what the proposers want to do, why they want to do it, how they plan
to do it, how they will know if they succeed, and what benefits could
accrue if the project is successful. These issues apply both to the
technical aspects of the proposal and the way in which the project may
make broader contributions. To that end, reviewers will be asked to
evaluate all proposals against two criteria:
* Intellectual Merit: The Intellectual Merit criterion encompasses
the potential to advance knowledge; and
* Broader Impacts: The Broader Impacts criterion encompasses the
potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of
specific, desired societal outcomes.
The following elements should be considered in the review for both
criteria:
1. What is the potential for the proposed activity to
a. Advance knowledge and understanding within its own field or
across different fields (Intellectual Merit); and
b. Benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader
Impacts)?
2. To what extent do the proposed activities suggest and explore
creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts?
3. Is the plan for carrying out the proposed activities
well-reasoned, well-organized, and based on a sound rationale?
Does the plan incorporate a mechanism to assess success?
4. How well qualified is the individual, team, or organization to
conduct the proposed activities?
5. Are there adequate resources available to the PI (either at the
home organization or through collaborations) to carry out the
proposed activities?
Broader impacts may be accomplished through the research itself,
through the activities that are directly related to specific research
projects, or through activities that are supported by, but are
complementary to, the project. NSF values the advancement of
scientific knowledge and activities that contribute to achievement of
societally relevant outcomes. Such outcomes include, but are not
limited to: full participation of women, persons with disabilities,
and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics (STEM); improved STEM education and educator
development at any level; increased public scientific literacy and
public engagement with science and technology; improved well-being of
individuals in society; development of a diverse, globally competitive
STEM workforce; increased partnerships between academia, industry, and
others; improved national security; increased economic competitiveness
of the United States; and enhanced infrastructure for research and
education.
Proposers are reminded that reviewers will also be asked to review the
Data Management Plan and the Postdoctoral Researcher Mentoring Plan,
as appropriate.
Additional Solicitation Specific Review Criteria
In addition to the National Science Board merit review criteria,
reviewers will be asked to apply several specific criteria when
reviewing FESD proposals. These criteria include:
* The extent to which the proposed research is poised for a major
advance and is potentially transformative
* The extent to which the science goals require a multi-disciplinary
team approach, and whether the proposed team and structure are
appropriate to achieve the stated science goals. Does the research
require a large team approach that goes beyond the scope that can be
addressed within the core discipline programs of the Geosciences
Directorate?
* The extent to which the proposed research or center activity
addresses coupling of dynamic processes across temporal or spatial
scales,
* The extent to which the proposed effort constitutes 'high-risk,
high-return" research. Have the investigators clearly identified the
opportunities and potential challenges?
* Quality and appropriateness of the Management and Integration Plan.
This includes 1) a well defined management plan with a highly
qualified project or center director, 1) the extent to which the group
effort is focused on a cohesive, well-delineated goal or set of goals,
2) the quality of the plans for dissemination and sharing of data,
models, tools and ideas, 3) the adequacy and appropriateness of the
proposed timeline, and 4) the appropriateness of the proposed modes of
collaboration, training and outreach.
* The extent to which the proposed broader impact activities are
creative, integrative and effective within the context of the mission,
goals, and resources of the organizations involved.
B. Review and Selection Process
Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation will be
reviewed by Ad hoc Review and/or Panel Review.
Reviewers will be asked to formulate a recommendation to either
support or decline each proposal. The Program Officer assigned to
manage the proposal's review will consider the advice of reviewers and
will formulate a recommendation.
After scientific, technical and programmatic review and consideration
of appropriate factors, the NSF Program Officer recommends to the
cognizant Division Director whether the proposal should be declined or
recommended for award. NSF is striving to be able to tell applicants
whether their proposals have been declined or recommended for funding
within six months. The time interval begins on the deadline or target
date, or receipt date, whichever is later. The interval ends when the
Division Director accepts the Program Officer's recommendation.
A summary rating and accompanying narrative will be completed and
submitted by each reviewer. In all cases, reviews are treated as
confidential documents. Verbatim copies of reviews, excluding the
names of the reviewers, are sent to the Principal Investigator/Project
Director by the Program Officer. In addition, the proposer will
receive an explanation of the decision to award or decline funding.
In all cases, after programmatic approval has been obtained, the
proposals recommended for funding will be forwarded to the Division of
Grants and Agreements for review of business, financial, and policy
implications and the processing and issuance of a grant or other
agreement. Proposers are cautioned that only a Grants and Agreements
Officer may make commitments, obligations or awards on behalf of NSF
or authorize the expenditure of funds. No commitment on the part of
NSF should be inferred from technical or budgetary discussions with a
NSF Program Officer. A Principal Investigator or organization that
makes financial or personnel commitments in the absence of a grant or
cooperative agreement signed by the NSF Grants and Agreements Officer
does so at their own risk.
VII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION
A. Notification of the Award
Notification of the award is made to the submitting organization by a
Grants Officer in the Division of Grants and Agreements. Organizations
whose proposals are declined will be advised as promptly as possible
by the cognizant NSF Program administering the program. Verbatim
copies of reviews, not including the identity of the reviewer, will be
provided automatically to the Principal Investigator. (See Section
VI.B. for additional information on the review process.)
B. Award Conditions
An NSF award consists of: (1) the award letter, which includes any
special provisions applicable to the award and any numbered amendments
thereto; (2) the budget, which indicates the amounts, by categories of
expense, on which NSF has based its support (or otherwise communicates
any specific approvals or disapprovals of proposed expenditures); (3)
the proposal referenced in the award letter; (4) the applicable award
conditions, such as Grant General Conditions (GC-1); * or Research
Terms and Conditions * and (5) any announcement or other NSF issuance
that may be incorporated by reference in the award letter. Cooperative
agreements also are administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative
Agreement Financial and Administrative Terms and Conditions (CA-FATC)
and the applicable Programmatic Terms and Conditions. NSF awards are
electronically signed by an NSF Grants and Agreements Officer and
transmitted electronically to the organization via e-mail.
*These documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Website at
[49]http://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/award_conditions.jsp?org=NSF.
Paper copies may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse,
telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from [50]nsfpubs@nsf.gov.
More comprehensive information on NSF Award Conditions and other
important information on the administration of NSF awards is contained
in the NSF Award & Administration Guide (AAG) Chapter II, available
electronically on the NSF Website at
[51]http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=aag.
C. Reporting Requirements
For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing
grants), the Principal Investigator must submit an annual project
report to the cognizant Program Officer at least 90 days prior to the
end of the current budget period. (Some programs or awards require
submission of more frequent project reports). Within 90 days following
expiration of a grant, the PI also is required to submit a final
project report, and a project outcomes report for the general public.
Failure to provide the required annual or final project reports, or
the project outcomes report, will delay NSF review and processing of
any future funding increments as well as any pending proposals for all
identified PIs and co-PIs on a given award. PIs should examine the
formats of the required reports in advance to assure availability of
required data.
PIs are required to use NSF's electronic project-reporting system,
available through Research.gov, for preparation and submission of
annual and final project reports. Such reports provide information on
accomplishments, project participants (individual and organizational),
publications, and other specific products and impacts of the project.
Submission of the report via Research.gov constitutes certification by
the PI that the contents of the report are accurate and complete. The
project outcomes report also must be prepared and submitted using
Research.gov. This report serves as a brief summary, prepared
specifically for the public, of the nature and outcomes of the
project. This report will be posted on the NSF website exactly as it
is submitted by the PI.
More comprehensive information on NSF Reporting Requirements and other
important information on the administration of NSF awards is contained
in the NSF Award & Administration Guide (AAG) Chapter II, available
electronically on the NSF Website at
[52]http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=aag.
VIII. AGENCY CONTACTS
Please note that the program contact information is current at the
time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points
of contact.
General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:
* Chungu Lu, telephone: (703) 292-8524, email: [53]clu@nsf.gov
* Therese Moretto Jorgensen, Program Director, AGS, 775 S,
telephone: (703) 292-8518, email: [54]tjorgens@nsf.gov
* Robin Reichlin, Program Director, EAR, 785 N, telephone: (703)
292-4741, email: [55]rreichli@nsf.gov
* Simone Metz, Program Director, OCE, 725 N, telephone: (703)
292-4964, email: [56]smetz@nsf.gov
* Paul Cutler, Program Director, EAR, 785 N, telephone: (703)
292-4961, email: [57]pcutler@nsf.gov
* James Beard, Program Director, OCE, 725 N, telephone: (703)
292-7583, email: [58]jbeard@nsf.gov
For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact:
* FastLane Help Desk, telephone: 1-800-673-6188; e-mail:
[59]fastlane@nsf.gov.
For questions relating to Grants.gov contact:
* Grants.gov Contact Center: If the Authorized Organizational
Representatives (AOR) has not received a confirmation message from
Grants.gov within 48 hours of submission of application, please
contact via telephone: 1-800-518-4726; e-mail:
[60]support@grants.gov.
NO FUTURE DEADLINES ARE ANTICIPATED. THIS SOLICITATION IS THE LAST FOR
THE FRONTIERS IN EARTH SYSTEM DYNAMICS PROGRAM.
IX. OTHER INFORMATION
The NSF website provides the most comprehensive source of information
on NSF Directorates (including contact information), programs and
funding opportunities. Use of this website by potential proposers is
strongly encouraged. In addition, "My NSF" is an information-delivery
system designed to keep potential proposers and other interested
parties apprised of new NSF funding opportunities and publications,
important changes in proposal and award policies and procedures, and
upcoming NSF [61]Grants Conferences. Subscribers are informed through
e-mail or the user's Web browser each time new publications are issued
that match their identified interests. "My NSF" also is available on
NSF's website at [62]http://www.nsf.gov/mynsf/.
Grants.gov provides an additional electronic capability to search for
Federal government-wide grant opportunities. NSF funding opportunities
may be accessed via this new mechanism. Further information on
Grants.gov may be obtained at [63]http://www.grants.gov.
Relationship of FESD to Other Programs of Interest
The FESD solicitation will complement and strengthen individual,
investigator-driven science funded through GEO's core research
programs. Consequently, proposals where the scope and budget are
such that they would normally be submitted to the core programs or
special programs of EAR, OCE, and AGS, will not be considered. In
addition, proposals that fit within the scope of NSF's new CRI and
SEES solicitations currently available (see Dear Colleague Letter
[64]NSF 10-040 at [65]http://www.nsf.gov) will not be considered by
FESD. These include:
* Climate Change Education (Solicitation [66]NSF 11-574)
* Ocean Acidification (Solicitation [67]NSF 12-500)
* Water Sustainability and Climate (Solicitation [68]NSF 11-551)
* Decadal and Regional Climate Prediction Using Earth System Models
(Solicitation [69]NSF 12-522)
* Dimensions of Biodiversity (Solicitation [70]NSF 12-528)
* Climate Change Education (Solicitation [71]NSF 12-523)
* Sustainable Energy Pathways (Solicitation [72]NSF 11-590)
* Sustainability Research Networks (Solicitation [73]NSF 11-574)
* Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems (Solicitation
[74]NSF 10-612)
ABOUT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent Federal agency
created by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended (42
USC 1861-75). The Act states the purpose of the NSF is "to promote the
progress of science; [and] to advance the national health, prosperity,
and welfare by supporting research and education in all fields of
science and engineering."
NSF funds research and education in most fields of science and
engineering. It does this through grants and cooperative agreements to
more than 2,000 colleges, universities, K-12 school systems,
businesses, informal science organizations and other research
organizations throughout the US. The Foundation accounts for about
one-fourth of Federal support to academic institutions for basic
research.
NSF receives approximately 55,000 proposals each year for research,
education and training projects, of which approximately 11,000 are
funded. In addition, the Foundation receives several thousand
applications for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships. The agency
operates no laboratories itself but does support National Research
Centers, user facilities, certain oceanographic vessels and Arctic and
Antarctic research stations. The Foundation also supports cooperative
research between universities and industry, US participation in
international scientific and engineering efforts, and educational
activities at every academic level.
Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities
provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons
with disabilities to work on NSF-supported projects. See Grant
Proposal Guide Chapter II, Section D.2 for instructions regarding
preparation of these types of proposals.
The National Science Foundation has Telephonic Device for the Deaf
(TDD) and Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that
enable individuals with hearing impairments to communicate with the
Foundation about NSF programs, employment or general information. TDD
may be accessed at (703) 292-5090 and (800) 281-8749, FIRS at (800)
877-8339.
The National Science Foundation Information Center may be reached at
(703) 292-5111.
The National Science Foundation promotes and advances scientific
progress in the United States by competitively awarding grants and
cooperative agreements for research and education in the sciences,
mathematics, and engineering.
To get the latest information about program deadlines, to download
copies of NSF publications, and to access abstracts of awards, visit
the NSF Website at [75]http://www.nsf.gov
* Location: 4201 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22230
* For General Information
(NSF Information Center): (703) 292-5111
* TDD (for the hearing-impaired): (703) 292-5090
* To Order Publications or Forms:
Send an e-mail to: [76]nsfpubs@nsf.gov
or telephone: (703) 292-7827
* To Locate NSF Employees: (703) 292-5111
PRIVACY ACT AND PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENTS
The information requested on proposal forms and project reports is
solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act
of 1950, as amended. The information on proposal forms will be used in
connection with the selection of qualified proposals; and project
reports submitted by awardees will be used for program evaluation and
reporting within the Executive Branch and to Congress. The information
requested may be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants
as part of the proposal review process; to proposer
institutions/grantees to provide or obtain data regarding the proposal
review process, award decisions, or the administration of awards; to
government contractors, experts, volunteers and researchers and
educators as necessary to complete assigned work; to other government
agencies or other entities needing information regarding applicants or
nominees as part of a joint application review process, or in order to
coordinate programs or policy; and to another Federal agency, court,
or party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the
government is a party. Information about Principal Investigators may
be added to the Reviewer file and used to select potential candidates
to serve as peer reviewers or advisory committee members. See Systems
of Records, [77]NSF-50, "Principal Investigator/Proposal File and
Associated Records," 69 Federal Register 26410 (May 12, 2004), and
[78]NSF-51, "Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records," 69
Federal Register 26410 (May 12, 2004). Submission of the information
is voluntary. Failure to provide full and complete information,
however, may reduce the possibility of receiving an award.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, an information collection unless it displays a valid
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OMB control
number for this collection is 3145-0058. Public reporting burden for
this collection of information is estimated to average 120 hours per
response, including the time for reviewing instructions. Send comments
regarding the burden estimate and any other aspect of this collection
of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to:
Suzanne H. Plimpton
Reports Clearance Officer
Office of the General Counsel
National Science Foundation
Arlington, VA 22230
X. APPENDIX
Frequently Asked Questions:
How many proposals were reviewed, and which projects were funded from
the first FESD competition (NSF-10-577)?
Sixty nine pre-proposals were submitted to the first FESD competition,
and 33 full proposals were invited. Of the 33 full proposals, five
were Type II and the remainder Type I. A total of seven projects were
awarded in the first FESD competition. One was a Type II project, and
the others were Type I.
The NSF press release listing FESD awards can be found at
[79]http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=121842
What is the difference between Type I and Type II proposals?
Type I projects consist of a group of collaborators who are all
focused on the proposed research questions. The team and collaborators
are defined in the proposal.
Type II projects are open to participants from the broader community.
The proposal will include funds to support interactions with the
community. For example, a synthesis center will define ways to bring
the outside community together to solve problems. An educationally
focused type II might involve workshops or other activities that will
be open to a broad range of individuals coming together to work on
multidisciplinary problems. The key difference is the openness of Type
II projects to the community beyond the proposing team members. There
should also be a mechanism for community input, such as a steering or
advising committee.
What is the Earth System?
The Earth system, as defined for this solicitation, includes the solid
Earth (core, mantle and crust), it's terrestrial surface, oceans,
atmosphere, and geospace (upper regions of the atmosphere, ionosphere,
magnetosphere, and solar atmosphere).
What are System Theory and System Dynamics?
System theory has the goal of explaining complex phenomena
characterized by a large number of mutually interacting and
interrelated parts. From a geosciences perspective these interactions
may involve coupling between 1) layers, 2) levels of organization, 3)
latitudinal/longitudinal zones, 4) constituents, 5) flow regimes, and
6) temporal and/or spatial scales. System dynamics refers to the
spatial and temporal behavior of the system and the causes and
consequences of such behavior.
What are some examples of themes that would fit within the scope of
FESD?
NOTE: The themes listed below are meant only to provide examples of
the type of research problems relevant to the FESD solicitation. FESD
proposals are not limited to these topics.
· Dynamical processes governing tropical cyclone development and
impacts bridge multiple interfaces (e.g. air-sea exchanges of heat,
moisture and momentum) and have impacts ranging from coastal wave
dynamics, inundation, and alteration of coastal ecosystems, to
hydrologic processes accompanying heavy rainfall extending well
inland.
· Developing a better understanding of fundamental physical processes
associated with geohazards, such as great earthquakes, tsunamis,
marine and terrestrial landslides, debris flows, floods, and volcanic
eruptions in order to forecast or predict them and their consequences.
· Quantifying the regional heterogeneity of particle export, physical
mixing, and gas exchanges between the surface ocean and both the deep
ocean and the atmospheric boundary layer by developing a three
dimensional view on how properties such as heat, salt, tracers, gases,
carbon, micro- and macro-nutrients and organisms are exchanged or
exported between the surface ocean, deep ocean, and the atmosphere.
· The early history of the Earth including the processes that lead to
the differentiation of the mantle, core, and crust; the chemical
evolution of the atmosphere and ocean; the evolution of continents;
and the co-evolution of life forms instrumental in Earth system
change.
· The relationship among tectonics, climate, biota, and landscape
evolution including the mantle response to topographic changes,
effects of mountain building on atmospheric circulation patterns,
changes in erosion patterns and rates and the numerous
interconnections and feedbacks among these components.
· Dynamical processes resulting from complex interfaces and
interactions between the solar atmosphere and the Earth's upper
atmosphere, ionosphere, and magnetosphere involving multiple time and
spatial scales that exhibit complex system behavior characterized by
nonlinear coupling and feedback, cross-scale coupling, emergent
phenomena, preconditioning, and memory.
· Elucidating the nature and storage capacity of deep mantle
reservoirs for water, carbon, and other volatiles, and measuring rates
of exchange between these deep reservoirs and the exosphere to develop
a planetary-scale understanding of interactions between climate, the
biosphere, and geodynamic processes.
What proposals are not applicable for this solicitation?
The FESD solicitation will complement and strengthen individual,
investigator-driven science funded through GEO's core research
programs, capitalizing, where appropriate, on major facility and
observational investments GEO is already making (e.g., the Ocean
Observing Initiative (OOI), EarthScope, the NSF/NCAR GV high altitude
jet research aircraft). Consequently, proposals where the scope and
budget are such that they would normally be submitted to the core
programs or special programs of AGS, EAR, and OCE, will not be
considered. In addition, proposals that fit within the scope of NSF's
SEES solicitations currently available (access the SEES website
at:[80] http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=504707) will
not be considered by FESD. These include:
* Climate Change Education (Solicitation [81]NSF 11-574)
* Ocean Acidification (Solicitation [82]NSF 12-500)
* Water Sustainability and Climate (Solicitation [83]NSF 11-551)
* Decadal and Regional Climate Prediction Using Earth System Models
(Solicitation [84]NSF 12-522)
* Dimensions of Biodiversity (Solicitation [85]NSF 12-528)
* Climate Change Education (Solicitation [86]NSF 12-523)
* Sustainable Energy Pathways (Solicitation [87]NSF 11-590)
* Sustainability Research Networks (Solicitation [88]NSF 11-574)
* Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems (Solicitation
[89]NSF 10-612)
Since FESD is a GEO program involving AGS, EAR and OCE, do proposals
have to be of interest to two or more of GEO's Divisions?
No. Proposals may involve topics that involve a multidisciplinary team
of researchers typically supported by more than one Division in GEO,
or from other parts of NSF, but this is not a requirement. Provided
the project meets the eligibility requirements stated in the
solicitation, proposals that involve a multi-disciplinary team of
investigators from only one division within the GEO directorate can
also be supported through FESD. However, the breadth of the
disciplines must go beyond the scope of a single core program.
What is a synthesis center in the context of this solicitation?
These are regional and/or national centers that use existing data or
newly acquired data to address grand challenges at the frontiers of
geosciences and related disciplines. They are open to, and bring
together, many types of scholars, including university faculty at all
career stages, post-doctoral associates, sabbatical fellows and
graduate students, working in a collaborative environment. Such
centers have a strong outreach and education component. A useful
analog is described in the Environmental Synthesis Center solicitation
(NSF 10-521).
What is a geoscience collaboratory?
A collaboratory is a "center without walls" where researchers perform
studies focused on a grand challenge in the geosciences without regard
to physical location. Such collaborations involve colleague
interaction, sharing of data and computational resources, and
instrument sharing where appropriate. The ultimate aim of such a
structure is to integrate the various components of a complex problem
such that the whole is more than the sum of its parts.
My project is large and complex; can I request additional space in the
Project description?
No. All proposals must adhere to the page limits described above.
Can an individual serve as a the Director of both a Type I and Type II
proposal?
No. An individual may serve as Director (project, center, or
collaboratory director) for only one FESD proposal, either Type I or
Type II. The project/center/collaboratory director role is defined in
the Program Description section of the FESD solicitation in the
description of Type I and Type II proposals.
Can Type I projects include major infrastructure investments for new
equipment, instrumentation or observing systems?
No, acquisition of new major infrastructure is not intended to be
covered, although requests for some instrumentation and technique
development, as well as deployment of field instrumentation can be
included in the project budget.
What do you mean by "high-risk, high-return" research? Can you give
examples of risks that might be associated with FESD proposals?
There can be various kinds of risk associated with a particular
proposal. There can be technical risks, for example a crucial new
instrument might fail or a new experimental technique may not be
successful. There also can be intellectual risks, for example a new
idea or hypothesis may ultimately be proven incorrect. Finally, there
can be operational risks, for example bad weather may cause a cruise
to be canceled or compromise a field experiment. These risks have to
be weighed against the possible transformative research that might be
accomplished if the project is successful. Research at the frontiers
of a field of research is often risky. FESD wants to encourage
proposals that may have a higher-than-normal element of risk
associated with them, if the potential payoff in terms of transforming
our understanding of Earth's dynamic systems is high.
Do all proposals require data, project management, and integration
plans?
Yes. All proposals require project management and integration plans,
as well as data and model sharing plans, where appropriate. If you do
not expect your proposal to generate data, please state this in your
data management plan.
Is there an upper limit on the cost of a project submitted to this
competition?
Yes, there is an upper limit of $5,000,000. We anticipate that project
sizes for most Type I and Type II proposals will range from
approximately $3,000,000 to $5,000,000. Please see the "Estimated
Number of Awards" and "Anticipated Funding Amounts" sub-sections in
Awards Information section of the solicitation for guidance, and
descriptions of Type I and Type II proposals in the Program
Description section. The budget should accurately reflect the efforts
of all parties, as detailed in the Budget Justification.
Is there a lower limit on the cost of a project submitted to this
competition?
No, although we expect that most awards will be between $3,000,000 and
$5,000,00. The intention of the FESD funding opportunity is to
facilitate multidisciplinary research programs well beyond the scope
of current programmatic opportunities in the Geosciences Directorate.
Are Postdoctoral Mentoring plans required?
Postdoctoral mentoring plans are required of all NSF proposals that
request funding for postdoctoral researchers. Proposers should adhere
to the guidelines laid out in the GPG.
What do you mean by partnerships with institutions serving students
under-represented in the Geosciences?
GEO would like to broaden the pool of academic and research
institutions that participate in programs in the Directorate. We
encourage the scientific community to establish research partnerships
with faculty and students from Community Colleges, Tribal Colleges,
Historically Black Colleges and Universities, institutions serving
students with disabilities, and Hispanic Serving Institutions.
For further information, the Geosciences Directorate has developed the
"GEO Education and Diversity Strategic Plan," which will be available
at: [90]http://www.nsf.gov/geo/adgeo/education.jsp.
Can non-geoscientists be involved as collaborators on a FESD project?
Inclusion of collaboration with investigators from other science
fields is welcome provided the disciplinary connections are well
described and contribute to overall FESD goals. Some examples of other
disciplines might include mathematics, computer sciences, genetics,
ecosystem sciences, or engineering, although this list is not intended
to be exhaustive or exclusive.
What should I do if I still have questions?
Please contact the Program Officer in the Division that most closely
matches your scientific focus (please see the solicitation which lists
the Program Officers, their associated Division, and relevant contact
information).
Can I volunteer to be on one of the review panels?
Yes; however, PIs and co-PIs that have submitted a proposal for this
solicitation are not allowed to be on review panels and the NSF
Conflict of Interest Policy applies.
What are some of the relevant documents issued by NSF and other
Federal Agencies?
1. GEOVISION Report (Unraveling Earth's Complexities Through The
Geosciences), NSF Advisory Committee for Geosciences, 2009.
[91]http://www.nsf.gov/geo/acgeo/geovision/start.jsp
2. Landscapes on the Edge: New Horizons for Research on Earth's
Surface. National Research Council, National Academies Press,
Washington, D.C., 2010.
[92]http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record.id=12700&page=R1
3. Grand Challenges in Geodynamics: Outstanding geodynamics problems
and emerging research opportunities for the Earth Sciences, 2010.
http://geodynamics.org/cig/proposalsndocs/documents/gwp-final
4. Origin and Evolution of Earth: Research Questions for a Changing
Planet. National Research Council, National Academies Press, 2008.
[93]http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12161&page=R1
5. National Science Board: Hurricane Warning: The Critical Need for a
National Hurricane Research Initiative, 2007.
[94]http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/committees/archive/hurricane/initiative.pdf
6. National Science and Technology Council, 2005: Grand Challenges for
Disaster Reduction, 2005.
[95]http://www.nehrp.gov/pdf/grandchallenges.pdf.
7. CSEDI: Cooperative Studies of the Earth's Deep Interior, 2004.
[96]http://www.csedi.org/
8. NCEAS: National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis.
[97]http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/
9. COSMIC: Constellation Observing System for Meteorology Ionosphere
and Climate. [98]http://www.cosmic.ucar.edu/
10. GEO Education and Diversity Strategic Plan, 2010,
[99]http://www.nsf.gov/geo/adgeo/education.jsp.
11. The Sun to the Earth--and Beyond: A Decadal Research Strategy in
Solar and Space Physics, 2003,
[100]http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=10477#toc.
12. New Research Opportunities in the Earth Sciences (NROES), National
Academy of Sciences, December, 2011,
http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=1323
6
May PIs from FFRDC's submit proposals to the FESD solicitation? Can I
submit a proposal if I am an NCAR employee?
PI's from non-NSF-funded FFRDC's are not permitted to submit proposals
to FESD. PI's from the National Center for Atmospheric Research
(NCAR), an NSF-funded FFRDC, are permitted to submit proposals to FESD
subject to certain conditions: (1) NCAR's participation must be
consistent with the NCAR mission of enabling or fostering focused new
community research; (2) NCAR's participation is expected to be in
partnership with non-FFRDC organizations; and (3) funding requested by
NCAR can include project-related costs including travel, and lab or
experimental costs not normally covered under the NCAR-NSF Cooperative
Agreement. Salary costs for post-docs, visitors, and students are
permitted, as are salary costs for science support staff and associate
scientists necessary for the completion of the proposed work and not
covered by the Cooperative Agreement.
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